Kenneth Feld knows where he will be on September 21, 2019. That date, during Alumni Weekend, marks the end of the Campaign for Boston University, a $1.5 billion fundraising effort.

“Cautiously but confidently we are planning for a celebration that evening on campus—one that will be worthy of this great University and the thousands who have stepped up,” says Feld (Questrom’70), chair of the Board of Trustees, the campaign’s chair, and one of its most generous supporters.

But there’s still a year to go, he adds. “Our students and faculty are counting on us,” he says. “And even when the campaign is over, the need for support won’t go away.”

President Robert A. Brown looks forward to a strong finish, pointing out that fiscal year 2018 was the ninth-straight record-breaking year for fundraising, in terms of cash income.

“It is very encouraging to have momentum like this toward the end of a campaign,” Brown says. “It speaks to the tremendous energy and dedication of the BU community. This is a historic effort. As we race to the finish we welcome the support of alumni, parents, and friends.”

“Kenneth Feld (Questrom’70), chair of the Board of Trustees and campaign chair, says more than 154,000 individuals have
supported the effort. “The entire BU community can be proud of this campaign,” he says. Photo by Steven Freeman

The campaign, launched in 2012, originally had a $1 billion goal, which was increased following strong early success.

The difference made so far is almost too far-ranging to summarize. There are two new schools—the Pardee School of Global Studies, created through a gift from Frederick S. Pardee (Questrom’54,’54, Hon.’04); and the Arvind and Chandan Nandlal Kilachand Honors College, endowed by trustee Rajen Kilachand (Questrom’74, Hon.’14). Another, the Questrom School of Business, was renamed in recognition of a $50 million gift from trustee Allen Questrom (Questrom’64, Hon.’15) and his wife, Kelli Questrom (Hon.’15).

On Comm Ave, the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering opened in 2017 following a landmark $115 million gift from Kilachand. To its west stands the striking Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre, made possible by a $10 million gift from Stephen M. Zide (LAW’86) and his wife, Jan Zide. The School of Medicine is home to two new cancer centers—one for prostate cancer research, and the other for breast cancer, supported, respectively, by trustee emeritus Richard C. Shipley (Questrom’68,’72) and trustee Shamim A. Dahod (CGS’76, CAS’78, MED’87) and her husband, Ashraf Dahod. The Dahods also made a lead gift to help create the Dahod Family Alumni Center, formerly the Castle, on Bay State Road.

Every school and college has benefited. Highlights this past year included two million-dollar gifts to the College of General Studies: one for undergraduate research, from an anonymous donor, and another to endow the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning, from Gary Villella (CGS’69, Questrom’71) and his wife, Susan Villella.

Campaign donors have created 275 endowed scholarships. “We have moved the needle,” says Brown. “Because of the campaign, we’re able to provide more financial aid than ever before.” BU has recently increased assistance to students receiving Pell Grants by providing financial aid awards that meet the students’ full financial need—a strategic shift made possible in part by a gift from BU trustee Richard D. Cohen (CGS’67, Questrom’69). Cohen’s gift, combined with others, has made a difference in the number of low-income students at the University: 17.4 percent of students in the Class of 2022 are Pell-eligible, compared to just over 14 percent two years ago.

As Carla E. Meyer (SSW’78), a trustee and member of the Campaign Executive Committee, points out, scholarships remain a top priority.

“We have many master’s-level candidates for whom we do not have robust financial aid packages,” Meyer adds. “We feel quite strongly at the School of Social Work, for example, that the students whom we recruit to our Bridge program are deserving of our support. These students are immigrants who are already doing outreach work with their own communities, and they come to BU Bridge to prepare for application to a master’s program. We know they will be leaders in their communities, but we find it difficult to provide them with the scholarship support they need.”

“Trustee Sharon G. Ryan (Sargent’70) and her husband, Robert L. Ryan (right)(with President Robert A. Brown), have provided lead support for the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground expansion. Photo by Steven Freeman

Another priority in the campaign’s final year will be support for the expansion of the activities of the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground and its relocation to 808 Comm Ave—an effort that recently received lead support from trustee Sharon G. Ryan (Sargent’70) and her husband, Robert L. Ryan. “I am very grateful to Sharon and Robert for their support of the Thurman Center,” Meyer emphasizes. “This center will welcome all BU students who want to participate in multicultural activities and deepen their understanding of how these issues play out at BU and in the larger community.”

One of the remarkable things about the Campaign for Boston University, Feld says, is how broad and deep the support runs. More than 1,100 gifts of $100,000 or more have been made to the campaign, mostly from individuals. Overall, 154,371 individuals have supported the campaign. In 2017, Annual Fund revenue was up 9 percent to $23 million. Students, too, have stepped up. The Class of 2018 alone contributed $94,677 to the campaign through the Class Gift program.

“We’re here to tell you that every gift matters,” says Feld. “Every gift. The entire BU community can be proud of this campaign—and can still participate.”